ALMOST a third of pubs and off-licences have been caught selling alcohol to children – some as young as 13.

Police tested 226 licensed premises in the past year and 70 failed, including Westgate Stores in Oxford, One Stop in Abingdon, Cotswold Arms in Burford, Sainsbury’s in Wantage, and J&R Liquor, in Bicester, which were all caught twice.

Officers are now using children as young as 13 to find out which shops teenagers are buying their booze from.

Police hailed their weekly operations across the county as a success as only six per cent of stores fail a second time after an initial failure.

If a shop or pub gets caught three times they lose their licence.

Tony Cope, Oxfordshire’s licensing officer, said: “It is quite shocking a 13-year-old can go in and get a sale. Most of the time the licensees are not taking any notice of who they are serving and that is the biggest problem.

“We’ve had many situations where the staff have laughed and said ‘no chance’ when confronted with one of our teenagers.

“But we’ve also had times when they’ve given them names of places where they can get served.

“When we confront the shops most are horrified and it is often just simple changes to their procedures.

“A third of the shops have failed but they have all learned from our advice and guidance.

“It is good news that we are having an impact on reoffending.”

McColls, in Grove, lost its licence to sell alcohol earlier this year after it failed three test purchase operations.

Oxford City Council last week revoked the licence of Westgate Stores, in Botley Road, after it failed three times, including twice in the past year.

Owner Anne Devlin said: “We have put procedures in place to make sure this does not happen again but we are appealing so it would not be appropriate to comment further.”

Staff at the Cotswold Arms, in Burford, managed to overturn two £80 fines dished out by police after opposing the penalty in court.

Landlord Chris Jones said: “Youngsters have always tried to get served in pubs. The licensing authorities are not helping pubs and bars by going round catching them out then moving on without giving any advice or help.

“The only times we saw a licensing officer was when we were told we had been caught.”

Avyjot Hothi, manager of J&R Liquor, said the shop now ran a Think 21 policy.

She said: “It’s very difficult because youngsters don’t look their age. Some youngsters have come in here and been very aggressive.”

A spokesman for One Stop, in Wootton Road, Abingdon, which is also on its last warning, apologised and said all staff had been retrained to Think 25.

He added: “We have strict processes in place to prevent this from happening, though these appear to have broken down on two occasions.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “Sainsbury’s is a responsible retailer so we are implementing a Think 25 policy at our Wantage store and we will be working closely with the local authorities to help prevent this happening again.”

mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk

STORES THAT FAILED ONCE: McColls, Millbrook Square, Grove

Wine Palace, Westlands Drive, Oxford

Salford Stores, Salford Road, Oxford

Girdlestones, Girdlestone Road, Oxford

The Chequers, Beaumont Road, Oxford

The White Horse, London Road, Oxford

9 to 9 Stores, North Parade, Oxford

BP Garage, Wolvercote

Tree House Hotel, Iffley Road, Oxford

Oxford Supermarket, Pegasus Road, Oxford

Co-op, Cowley Road, Oxford

Supa Sava, Botley Road, Oxford

Hassan’s Newsagent, Cowley Road, Oxford

Wine Rack, Summertown

The Angel & Greyhound, St Clements, Oxford

Magdalen Arms, Iffley Rd, Oxford

Temple Bar, Temple Street, Oxford

The Star, Rectory Road, Oxford

Hussien Newsagent, Cowley Road, Oxford

Kidlington Green Social Club, Green Road, Kidlington

Co-op, Banbury Road, Kidlington

Penny Black, Sheep Street, Bicester

The Star Inn, Bucknall Road, Bicester

Blacks Head, Bletchingdon

The Victoria, Henley Spar, Brize Norton Road, Minster Lovell

The Beehive, Black Bourton Road, Carterton

The Aviator, Black Bourton Road, Carterton

Minster Lovell Post Office, Minster Lovell

Somerfield, Alvescot Road, Carterton

Drayton Post Office, The Green, Drayton

The Swan, Banbury

Phillips News, Warwick Rd, Banbury

Hillview Stores, Hillview Crescent, Banbury

Arncott Emporium, Woodpiece Road, Arncott

George & Dragon, East Street, Fritwell

Black Boy, Station Road, Chinnor

Park Stores, Florence Park Road, Oxford

BP Garage, Wantage Road, Didcot

The Eagle, Eagle Lane, Watchfield

Southmoor Food & Wine, Cherry Tree Close, Southmoor

The Crown, Packhorse Lane, Marcham

The Plough Inn, Abingdon

Londis, High Street, Abingdon

House of Wong, High Street, Witney

Blue Boar, Goddards Lane, Chipping Norton

The Chequers Inn, Chipping Norton

Fox Hotel, Market Place, Chipping Norton

The Royal Oak, Witney Street, Burford

Hollybush, Corn Street, Witney

Nortons, Langdale Court, Witney

The Six Bells, High Street, Thame

Mace Stores, Drayton

The Plough Inn, Lower Arncott

Co-op, High Street, Thame

Ciao Baby, North Street, Thame

Cross Keys, Park Street, Thame

Nags Head, Upper High Street, Thame

Sainsburys, Park Street, Thame

Childery Village Stores, Childery